THE NBA / MARK HEISLER : It’s Merely Shaq, but What Impact

Let’s get one thing straight: Shaquille O’Neal is not the second coming of Wilt Chamberlain.

Some phenomena are unique, such as the Beatles or Muhammad Ali. Likewise, there will be no second coming of Wilt until some gazelle eight feet tall and 400 pounds shows up.

In Wilt’s rookie season, he broke the NBA scoring record--by 602 points--and the rebound record--by 329.

He averaged 46 minutes, warming up for his sophomore year when he went 47.8, sitting out 19 minutes all season.

On the other hand, if Shaq isn’t the next Wilt, he’s the next best thing.

When was the last time you heard of a rookie being named NBA player of the week in his first week?

Hint: it has never happened before.

At week’s end, O’Neal, 20, was averaging 26.7 points, 16.7 rebounds and 3.3 blocks.

Of course, that was after a slow start. In his last six games, O’Neal averaged 29 points.

In comparison, Patrick Ewing, then 23, averaged 20 points and nine rebounds as a rookie.

David Robinson, 24, averaged 24 and 12.

Hakeem Olajuwon, 21, averaged 21 and 12.

The 7-foot-1, 275-pound Chamberlain was a physical prodigy decades ahead of his time. The NBA he entered in 1959 had one 7-footer, Detroit’s Walter Dukes, and one 6-11 player, the Minneapolis Lakers’ Ray Felix.

The league that O’Neal entered had 33 7-footers and 17 6-11 players. The average NBA player is 6-7. Centers range in size up to 7-7 Manute Bol. There are 7-0 small forwards. Point guards have come as big as 6-9 Magic Johnson, with forwards such as 6-7 Scottie Pippen and 6-8 Walt Williams putting in major time at the position.

At 7-0 in his stocking feet, weighing in at 310, with a body fat percentage comparable to a fashion model, O’Neal is a prodigy in his own right, a rhino among flamingos. After watching Shaq play bumper pool with Pervis Ellison, Bullet Coach Wes Unseld, the reigning sumo wrestler of his era, cautioned that the league had better rein the kid in or pass out hard hats.

“Awesome,” New Jersey’s Chuck Daly said after watching O’Neal go for 29 points and 15 rebounds. “What a monster he is.”

Said Net assistant Brendan Suhr: “He’s got incredible power. Just frightening strength.”

Said Sam Bowie, the 7-foot Net center: “When you’re seven feet tall, you’re supposed to have some limitations, but I haven’t seen any with this kid.”

Having put the small fry to flight, O’Neal stepped up to the bright lights, big city and Ewing, scoring 18 points with 17 rebounds in Saturday night’s loss to the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. The first coming of Chamberlain, Wilt himself, attended.

“If I do well, fine,” said O’Neal, who can recognize inevitability when he sees it in the mirror.

“If I get dogged out, I’m coming back next time.”

Said Orlando General Manager Pat Williams: “He’s 20. Should be a senior in college. He’s played seven pro games. He’s leading the league in rebounding. He’s fifth in scoring, fifth in blocked shots and he doesn’t even know what the buildings look like. He’s never been in Madison Square Garden.”

Does Williams pinch himself these days?

“Yes, I do,” he said. “A lot.”

CHILDREN’S CRUSADE

Only one lottery pick with a contract--Atlanta’s Adam Keefe--doesn’t have a double-figure scoring average.

Included is Charlotte’s Alonzo Mourning, who signed a week late and played only 60 minutes in his first three games.

Three others--Walt Williams, Tom Gugliotta and Todd Day--signed late, missed camp and joined their teams during the exhibition season.

Here’s what they’re averaging:

1. O’Neal, Magic--26 points, 17 rebounds.

2. Mourning, Hornets--18 points, nine rebounds in 25 minutes.

3. Christian Laettner, Minnesota Timberwolves--16 points, nine rebounds.

4. Jim Jackson, Dallas Mavericks--unsigned.

5. LaPhonso Ellis, Denver Nuggets--15 points, eight rebounds.

6. Gugliotta, Bullets--18 points, nine rebounds and four assists.

7. Williams, Sacramento Kings--18 points, four rebounds, three assists in 28 minutes.

8. Day, Milwaukee Bucks--10 points, four rebounds in 22 minutes.

9. Clarence Weatherspoon, Philadelphia 76ers--13 points, six rebounds.

10. Keefe, Atlanta Hawks--Five points, three rebounds in 14 minutes. However, he’s shooting 69% from the floor.

11. Robert Horry, Houston Rockets--12 points, eight rebounds.

AND ANOTHER ROOKIE WHO IS STRUGGLING

Bedeviled by injuries and bad management, San Antonio’s Jerry Tarkanian is off to a slow start.

At Nevada Las Vegas, four losses were a season’s worth.

At San Antonio, he had that many within five games and was taking it hard. After losing at home to the Hawks, he was heard sighing: “Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God.”

Owner Red McCombs’ decision to let Rod Strickland walk leaves the Spurs without a point guard, a vacuum that was forgotten all summer. Now General Manager Bob Bass is scouring the waiver wire.

Not at all enchanted by the process is Tark the Shark.

“We can get a lot of guys who were cut by a lot of teams,” Tarkanian said. “They have three or four guys cut by San Antonio College and three or four guys cut by Houston Baptist.”

Thursday, the Spurs signed Avery Johnson, last season’s stopgap and a groomsman in David Robinson’s wedding.

HARD TIMES FOR FORMER DYNASTIES

Detroit writers are calling their season, “As the Worm Turns,” waiting for the end of Dennis Rodman’s Piston career.

Rodman was suspended indefinitely Friday. That came after his 470-game iron man streak ended when he missed last week’s trip west, complaining of a knee injury that team officials suspect is bogus. Management is trying to trade Rodman, but buyers are leery and the price is dropping and the best they could do was to suspend him.

Meanwhile, the Celtics lost four games in a row, including their first ever in Boston Garden to the Jazz.

Said Kevin McHale after a defeat at Washington: “These are teams we beat religiously. Unfortunately, now we’re one of those teams.”

FACES AND FIGURES

Start the gold rush without them: With all their bright, young prospects, the Nuggets got off to the traditional 1-5 start. “You can’t make a free throw,” bristled new Coach Dan Issel. “You can’t make layups. You can’t throw the ball to each other. How are you going to win if you can’t play fundamental basketball?” Hint: That’s where you come in, Danny. . . . Issel is unhappy that his players are so interested in their statistics, as last week when Dikembe Mutombo argued with scorekeepers that he should have been credited with more rebounds. . . . Mutombo has had a hamburger meal named after him, the Jumbo Mutombo. Skeptics suggest in view of Mutombo’s slow start, that it’s a regular burger, small fries and a glass of water.

Miami’s 6-8 Glen Rice on trying to guard Golden State’s 5-7 rookie, Keith Jennings: “Don’t ever put me on a guy like that again. I couldn’t even see him.” . . . Male Bonding: Phoenix’s Tom Chambers, shooting down the theory that he and Charles Barkley wouldn’t get along: “It’s been incredible. He takes all the pressure off us. I’m not just talking on the court but off the court, too. Now I can walk through malls with him and people don’t even notice me.”

Barkley is on his best behavior, although Charles’ idea of manners encompasses bantering challenges like this to teammate Jerrod Mustaf, who missed a recent game with a sore knee: “You don’t care about the game. This is basketball. It’s just business to you. I don’t believe I’m looking at you. You’re obviously the second coming of Armon Gilliam.” . . . Where have we heard that name before? Mike Dunleavy started 4-2 on the road with a Milwaukee team that was 6-35 last season.

Proof that P.T. Barnum was wrong: If there’s a sucker born every minute and two to take him, how come no one will relieve the Seattle SuperSonics of Benoit Benjamin, their $3.5-million center who is averaging 17 minutes a game? “I’ve gone through my whole career averaging 35-40 minutes a game and now I hear trade talk again,” Benjamin said. “But I’m not going to say anything or make a big deal out of it. It’s part of my maturity.” . . . Talking about maturity: New Jersey’s Derrick Coleman warmed up for his game against Karl Malone, announcing: “I can do more things. Can he take a rebound and push the ball downcourt and lay it in?” Maybe not, but the Mailman could outscore Coleman, 29-14, and force him to miss 12 of his 15 shots.

The Honeymooners: Maverick owner Donald Carter, wild to sign Ohio State draftee Jim Jackson for his bedraggled team, picked him up in a private jet in Columbus, Ohio, flew him over Niagara Falls, then back to Columbus. No deal was struck, but Jackson’s heart is said to be melting.

Says Knick guard John Starks, who squared off against former teammate Xavier McDaniel during a game against Boston, embraced him afterward, then tossed a cup of water at another former teammate, the Clippers’ Mark Jackson: “Remember, this is a kids’ game played by grown-ups.”